Create With the Heart. Build With the Mind.

Why purpose without passion falls flat—and passion without structure burns out

There’s a quote by Criss Jami that’s been sticking with me lately:

“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”

The older I get, the more I realize how much truth is packed into that one line.

Most of the things that matter in life don’t start with a spreadsheet. They start with a feeling. A need. A moment where something just doesn’t sit right in your gut. That’s the heart part. That’s where the why comes from.

But heart alone isn’t enough.

I’ve seen plenty of good intentions fall apart because nobody stopped to think through the how. Passion can light the fire, but without structure, it burns hot and fast—and then it’s gone.

On the flip side, I’ve also seen projects built perfectly on paper that never meant anything to anyone. They were efficient. Clean. Organized. And completely soulless. When there’s no heart behind the work, people feel it. Kids feel it. Families feel it. Communities feel it.

The work I care about—the work that keeps me up at night—has always lived somewhere in the middle.

You start with the heart:

• caring about your kids

• caring about your neighbors

• caring enough to say, “This isn’t working, and we can do better.”

Then you build with the mind:

• showing up

• learning the process

• doing the boring parts

• putting one brick on top of another, even on days when you’re tired

That balance matters.

Heart gives you the courage to start.
Mind gives you the discipline to keep going.

I’ve learned that you don’t have to choose between being passionate and being practical. The strongest things—the ones that last—are built by people who refuse to give up either.

So if you’re creating something right now—a family, a program, an idea, a future—don’t ignore what your heart is telling you. But don’t stop there either. Give it a foundation. Give it structure. Give it time.

Create with the heart.
Build with the mind.

That’s how real things get made.